Are criticisms always meant to improve things or just to nitpick?

In the workplace as in sites like Y!A, critics - often bolstered by the anonymity of a keyboard and fortified by a bad hair day - can become downright mean-spirited. While fair criticism is welcome and encouraged, our good sense tells us the vile and uncivil comments come from non-reasoning minority. Thankfully,... show more In the workplace as in sites like Y!A, critics - often bolstered by the anonymity of a keyboard and fortified by a bad hair day - can become downright mean-spirited. While fair criticism is welcome and encouraged, our good sense tells us the vile and uncivil comments come from non-reasoning minority. Thankfully, there are still people out there who provide us with valuable feedback. As caring people, we need to tune out the noise of the naysayers and dial in the needs of legitimate users. Opinions, please.

4 following

21 answers 21

Report Abuse

Are you sure that you want to delete this answer?

Sorry, something has gone wrong.

Answers

Best Answer: "BEING CRITICAL IS EASY, AND OFFERING CRITICISM SEEMS EASIER STILL. Yet constructive criticism - - the more refined and effective brand of critical feedback - - is like an art when compared to Nagging, Nit-Picking and Negativity... Nothing makes most people bristle more quickly than Unfair, Unskillful, or Unsolicited criticism. Yet there are times when offering constructively critical feedback is essential to maintaining excellence and strong relationships.

DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS INTENDED TO HARM SOMEONE, derogate and destroy someone’s creation, prestige, reputation and self-esteem on whatever level it might be. This may be done intentionally or out of sheer ignorance and foolishness. Hence the word destructive is used. In practical life destructive criticism may be disguised as constructive to be more painful while harming. Valid examination of intention of critic is when asked to prove, to help or to be somewhat useful at all. Often destructive criticism comes from persons who are envious, cruel and those who judges in fields which are not their own.

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS A COMPASSIONATE ATTITUDE towards the person qualified for criticism. Having higher experience, gifts, respect, knowledge in specific field and being able to verbally convince at the same time, this person is intending to uplift the other person materially, morally, emotionally or spiritually. For high probability in succeeding his compassionate criticism the critic has to be in some kind of healthy personal relationship with the other one, which is normally a parent to child, friend to friend, teacher to student, spouse to spouse or any kind of recognized authority in specific field. Hence the word constructive is used so that something is created or visible outcome generated rather than the opposite. Participatory learning in pedagogy is based on these principles of constructive criticism. Here the saying applies that example is better than precept.

There can be tension between constructive and useful criticism; for instance, a critic might usefully help an individual artist to recognize what is poor or slapdash in their body of work—but the critic may have to appear harsh and judgmental in order to state this. But useful criticism is a practical part of constructive criticism."

HOW TO GIVE AND RECEIVE CRITICISM: http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/35-how-to-give-and-receive-criticism/

I agree with Loveliness above. But since we cannot really be sure of the intentions of another person then we must always just give them the benefit of the doubt, meaning that ciriticisms are given on the basis of good intentions. And as we know that criticisms are always the result of disagreeing with another's opinions, it is not always nitpicking. Most nitpickers are habitual complainers if not people who are hard to please and complain about anything & everything. Real critics voice out their opinions in accordance with certain set standards, values & guidelines and usually are given to give what we might call as constructive criticism. Although the person on the receiving end of any criticism is often not likely to see the constructive part of it. But that is just human nature & is a part of each & everyone of us mere humans. Life is short, especially shorter if we do count out all of our bad hair days.

But since we cannot really be sure of the intentions of another person then we must always just give them the benefit of the doubt, meaning that ciriticisms are given on the basis of good intentions.

And as we know that criticisms are always the result of disagreeing with another's opinions, it is not always nitpicking.

Most nitpickers are habitual complainers if not people who are hard to please and complain about anything & everything. Real critics voice out their opinions in accordance with certain set standards, values & guidelines and usually are given to give what we might call as constructive criticism.

Although the person on the receiving end of any criticism is often not likely to see the constructive part of it. But that is just human nature & is a part of each & everyone of us mere humans.

Life is short, especially shorter if we do count out all of our bad hair days.

To me criticism, be it constructive or destructive are both meant to improve things. What is going on in YA Philippines is not a case of "just nitpicking" rather to censure users who have no regard for the simple unwritten rules of man--honesty and fairness in whatever/ wherever undertakings. If all YA P users play according to the rules, we wont hear vile and uncivil comments from anyone.

Anonymous · 1 decade ago

4

Thumbs up

1

Thumbs down

Report Abuse

Comment

Add a comment

Submit

· just now

I am new and getting disilusioned by what I call "loaded" questions here.

I hope that criticisms will all be given as constructive and that the receivers of the criticisms will take them positively. There is no reason to hurt anyone.

ADD: Why the thumbs down when all I said was we shouldn't hurt anyone? I think I am beginning to understand, and feel, the chaos here.

good judges should criticize to help you improve, so they point out specifically what needs to be changed. bad critics just say flat out that they hate/like it. have you watched auditions of "So You Think You Can Dance"? In my opinion, those are bad critics - they don't help you improve, they laugh at you, they drain your dreams, you get the point.